Monday Morning Reads {09.25.2017}

Monday Morning Reads {9.25.2017} | In Jennie's Kitchen

This morning felt like a rough re-entry into the week. It was all fine until the last ten minutes, and then, well, I’ll leave it to your imagination. One single mom plus a tween and a teen is a recipe for emotional disaster sometimes. Then I was reminded of the “It’s Not Just Hormones” article below, and the pieces all fell into place. The article focuses on girls specifically, but I can’t help but wonder if this is unique to female teens (and tweens). I mean, if we’re talking about brain development couldn’t that have some implications for boys, too? Perhaps it just comes out differently based on how our society expects them to behave?

One of these days, I’ll get around to posting a recipe for suppli using leftover rice (we call them arancini, but in Rome you’ll be given a quizzical look if you call them that). In the meantime, the link below is to a recipe I’ve made, and loved. It’s been open in my browser for months, and now it can take up space in yours!

Widowhood Wednesday is an interesting read for anyone grieving, or who knows someone grieving. I’m always hesitant to say “read this” because our experiences aren’t one-size-fits-all. Grief is such a personal journey, and while you glean some wisdom from other people’s experiences, it’s really only in going through the journey yourself that you find the right path. That being said, Crescent has been on this journey a long time, and has so much to share about the myriad of feelings associated with losing someone you love so deeply, and so suddenly.

I’m also including a great tutorial on braiding round challah in case anyone here loves making it, or wants to give it a try. I’m not sure when, or if, I’ll get around to sharing my actual challah recipe. It took me five months to develop, and some special things happened along the way making the recipe feel like one of those intensely personal ones that might be hard to set free. I need to keep it close for the time being.

Okay, that’s it for me, folks. Off to make peace with this Monday morning, and hopefully turn things around for a positive, productive week.

Supplì

Widowhood Wednesday

7 Foods You Should Never Eat Root to Stem

The Great Nutrient Collapse (this is still on my reading list!)

How to Braid a Four-Strand Round Challah this method from Tori Avey, a food historian

It’s Not Just Hormones— a necessary read for parents of teenagers.

4 Comments

  • Gemma

    Thank you so much for reminding me about the great Crescent Dragonwagon. I came across her writing in a magazine about 20 years ago and had to learn more about this woman with a crazy name. I love her writing and her food sensibility. She’s like your favorite hippie neighbor who makes the most delicious soup.

    Her writing about being a widow is powerful and touching.

  • Kristin

    I’m about halfway through the Untangled book that your “hormones” article is from and it is definitely worth the time to read. It has helped to reframe some of my thought processes and help me get past how much I personally hated my middle school years to try and better understand the why of what is going on with her. I have an 11 year old and 8 year old girl so I’ll be in the thick of it for awhile.